[jrshawsh]

Hi. I was adding an irrigation line to my water and as I was putting T off the main water line, the Backflow broke off in my hand creating a flood of water. I tried frantically to turn the water off at the meter but it took a bit of time. I replaced the backflow, took off screens on sinks to flush out the dirt, and turned on the water. Pressure is good in all areas of the house except for the kitchen sink and the cold water in a bathroom. The kitchen sink has a great loss in pressure from both the hot and the cold water. The bathroom sink has bad pressure in the cold water and when I turn on the faucet, you can feel a grinding in the handle like something is scraping against a rock or dirt. How do I fix this and what is the proboblity of damage to the appliances, (hot water heater, dishwasher, washing machine)?

[massplumber2008]

Hi Jrshawsh...

You will want to shut off the shutoffs to the sinks and then remove the handle(s) and then remove the stem assembly(ies) or the cartridge(s) and then take a towel and put it over each faucet and turn the water supply back on to purge the lines of any sediment that got into the system. While there check the washers and all parts to be sure they were not damaged. Reassemble and hopefully that clears it up for you.

If you want to take the hoses off and clear the inner screen(s) from the washing machine valve that certainly can't hurt. You could also stick a garden hose onto the water heater drain and with water on full... open the drain to clear any sediment from the bottom of the tank. Let water run for 5 minutes or so.

In terms of the dishwasher, you could always remove the piping from the DW valve and clear that line, too... just if you want to be 100% sure no issues pop up later on... ;)

Let us know if you have more questions...

MARK